Busy, busy!!

How can so many days and weeks go by so quickly? Here it is the First Day of Summer and 103 degrees in Fresno, California. We've had an extremely cool early summer--in the 70's and 80's instead of the 90's and 100's. But that's all about to change. . . . .

I came back from the Robert Burridge workshop in February SO inspired and motivated to clean my studio (which I did!) and paint, paint, paint (which I didn't!). When I got home and started thinking about the studio, it was obvious what needed to be done. The sofa and the spinet piano which had been part of the furniture in the room for a LONG time now--20 years in the case of the piano!--needed to go. And go they did, about midnight one night, with only the 2 of us to move them to the other end of the house via a long hallway with a 90 degree turn in it. NOT an easy proposition! But we did it and the "new" studio plan makes so much more sense. I put tables and organizers where the 2 pieces were and in doing so was able to clear all 3 of my large worktables which had been neatly cluttered with a lot of supplies and materials. Everything was  all down the center of 2 of the tables, noticeably limiting the usable area to spread out large paintings on etc.

Taking Robert's advice to heart, I gave myself room to now spread out a lot of projects and opened up the space to working on multiple paintings at once. Yay, Robert! Thanks for the inspiration.

I added tables along the wall where I did have a sofa, for more work space. . . . .

I put a low table with organizers on it where the piano was. . . .

The 3 glass-topped work tables are now completely clear!  

Ready, set, go--It has Begun! One World, One Heart! 2010

Welcome to "Mixed Messages" by Kathleen Mattox, especially if you haven't visited before! I hope you have time to look around and explore a bit or come back at a later time to do so. Maybe some of you will even want to become "followers" of the blog.

Once again, it's time for the "One World, One Heart" event to begin. I'm late getting signed up--there are already 579 participants listed! We all are grateful to Lisa at "A Whimsical Bohemian", our fearless and apparently tireless leader in this huge venture! If you are a blogger and you wish to sign up, you have until February 8th to do so. Just click on her link, and leave a comment for her with your blog address.


Be prepared to have a giveaway ready to post as I am now posting mine. This year, I've decided to give 2 separate but equal giveaways. Each will consist of a set of my new "Words of Wisdom and Inspiration for Artists" cards (2.5" X 3.5" size).  They are 52 boxed inspirational quotation cards to motivate and inspire artists. Each set of small cards will be accompanied by  6 greeting cards of my most popular large watercolor and mixed media paintings. A selection of my paintings are shown here on the reverse sides of each card in the deck.

How can you toss your name in the hat to win one of my 2 giveaways? It's simple, just leave a comment to THIS POST with a way for me to contact you via email.  A winner will be chosen using a random number generator on February 15th at noon,  Pacific time. No entries will be accepted after noon on February 15th. If you are announced as one of the 2 winners, please contact me within 24 hours (by 1 PM on Feb. 16st, PST) with your mailing address.  If I don't hear from you, another name will be selected to take your place.

Please visit more of the wonderful artists participating in this year's One World One Heart event by visiting Lisa at A Whimsical Bohemian for a complete listing of 2010's participants in the right hand sidebar of her blog.

Explore, enjoy, become a follower of blogs you want to go back to, and enjoy the magic of this year's "Magic Carpet Ride" which will take you to new heights of being a creative artist! I'd love to know where you're from and what your own personal art is--but it's not necessary to leave a long comment unless you feel so inclined! Enjoy the ride!